Hi all, I'm new here and just need some advise, comfort, listening ears. Today is a week since I had to put my beloved Gracie down. She was a beautiful red, european dobie and was the sweetest, goofiest girl. She was 4 1/2 and much too young to leave this earth. When she was a little over a year old, she went in for stomach surgery and had a pair of socks and some underwear removed. She recovered fantastically. Although I was always trying to keep small items of clothing out of her reach, she always seemed to get into something else but thankfully, would pass these items through.

Well, this past November I was not so lucky. I could tell she got into something again and it was not passing through. I brought her in again for an extraction and she just never fully recovered. She seemed to be doing so well until she started a seepage from her stitches about a week later. I knew then, this time would be different. After a visit to the vet, they said that was normal and could last up to 72 hours and to apply hot compresses to the area every 5 minutes twice a day. Thankfully, the seepage stopped that night. About three weeks after that, I noticed that she started walking stiffly in her hind legs and her abdominal area whould swell in an out like she was in pain.

Another trip to the vet for blood examination, urine sample etc. Everything came back normal but had her scheduled for a sonogram the next morning. The vet found a huge mass in her lower intestine that he descriped as adhesions and they themselves could be blockages. Right after surgery, they had also mentioned that she had adhesions and that this could be a problem in the future.

After the sonogram, they also pulled out a syringe full of bloody liquid that had gathered in her abdomen.

That was Saturday, 12/29/12. She got a steriod shot, other antibiotics and they upped her pain medication and we went home. She had lost almost 25 pounds in one month and it hurt to look at her as she was always so robust and healthy looking.

That weekend, she seemed to be stable and even ate six poached chicken breasts throughout the entire weekend which made me very hopeful. Well, I had to go to work on 12/31/12 and when I came home, she had deteriorated. She was straining to go to the bathroom and what came out was almost a thick, tarry substance. She also threw up her chicken meal and was not interested in more. I also noticed that she was chattering her teeth every once in awhile which signaled to me that she was in a lot of pain.

Another surgery may have helped but it was not guarenteed and the outcome may have been more of the same or even worse. I just really didn't want her to go through all of that again and maybe would even pass away on the operating table.

I decided at about 7:00 pm'ish new years eve that maybe it was time for her to go. I was up with her until about 2-3:00am the previous morning and just loving on her. I spoke with her to let me know when her time was as I did not want to prolong the suffering. Somehow, I came to believe that her deterioration and the chattering of teeth was the sign she was giving me that it was time.

I'm so saddened and I miss her terribly. Today is one week and the house is so quiet. Thank God I have my other dog and cat to keep me company, but even my other dog seems so sad. Her appetite has gone down and just seems so depressed.

I guess my question is, should I have done more? Could I have done more? I'm second guessing myself now and it's torture. I've been doing research on the web and what I've read is that this was a life threatening situation with no guarentees and that hard decisions would have to be made. I hope I made the right one.

Has anyone else had a similar situation? Any words or advice or comfort would really help. I'm also thinking of getting another dog soon and my family says to give it more time. I would love to have another dobie, they are just the best but no one can replace my sweet, goofie girl. This is so hard!

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The vet found a huge mass in her lower intestine that he descriped as adhesions and they themselves could be blockages. Right after surgery, they had also mentioned that she had adhesions and that this could be a problem in the future.

I am people surgical technologist, yes the adhesions were a problem and should have been dealt with in the first surgery. You can release them. I am so sorry that your vet did not do this or care to do this to save your love. I would advise a new vet for future pets and I am soooo sorry for your loss. Just remember the love your pet gave you and be more aware in the future, second opinons are expensive, but well advised. God bless you and your wonderful pet.

This sucks but you have to stop researching. No one knew your girl better than you. They tell you when it's time, she told you and you knew. Through evolution dogs hide their pain, the weak are left behind, attacked and sometimes even cannibalized. Teeth chattering is a huge late sign of pain, she had been through enough.

Researching will only make it worse. One of the biggest words in the dictionary is "if", don't feed into it. Grieve like you need to, get angry, go to a junk yard and beat a car with a baseball bat...you knew because she knew, you did the right thing.

Although we will suffer with you, we thank you in advance for allowing us to celebrate her life, your other dogs life, and possibly a new addition-when you're ready.

I am people surgical technologist, yes the adhesions were a problem and should have been dealt with in the first surgery. You can release them. I am so sorry that your vet did not do this or care to do this to save your love. I would advise a new vet for future pets and I am soooo sorry for your loss. Just remember the love your pet gave you and be more aware in the future, second opinons are expensive, but well advised. God bless you and your wonderful pet.[/quote]

I'm betting there is a big difference in a "people" abdominal surgery and a canine abdominal surgery. That being said, complications in either can have very detrimental results - separately and/or jointly.

As a paramedic of many years I can tell you for people, also as someone that suffered a very painful, complicated small bowel obstruction from adhesions, I can tell you what it was like looking at the prospect of possibly having a colostomy. But for a dog I'm thinking that's not a possibility, as are other "people" treatments and remedies for the same thing.

So one who specializes in a particular type of " people" medicine might want to be really careful advising someone on whether their veterinarian did something right or not, especially in a situation like this, IMHO.

So sorry on the loss of your girl. I think we all second guess ourselves. Only you know when the right time is. I know one thing, we love this breed so much and some times they are not with us for the amount of time we would like, we will always have a Dobe or two.
Some day she will be waithing at the bridge for you.

Thank you so much for your words of comfort. Posting here today has really given me some peace. My words of advice to other dobie owners who like to get into things and need that initial surgery, ask about adhesions. Will they occur, if they do, what is the quickest way to know if they have. Second, try, try your best to keep things out of reach that they enjoy consuming to avoid future complications.

Other than that, love your dog always and ask God for patience, understanding, and wisdom and you will have a wonderful relationship. Gracie was definitely a velcro dog. For the past 4 1/2 years, she was always by my side. Even in almost a deep sleep, she would get up and follow me no matter where I went in the house. Even when I had to go to the bathroom, it was like, Mom, what are you doing. I chuckle now, but I have to be honest, it was irritating at times lol. Just enjoy each moment! You never know when those moments won't be there anymore!

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I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so easy to second guess the decisions we make for our babies, I know I did with all 3 of my dobes. Trust me, it doesn't help. It sounds to me like you did all you could for your sweet girl & you loved her enough to ease her suffering. That's all any of us can do.

You will know when the time is right to open your heart to another dobe. Whether it's next week or next year, if it feels right for you then get another one. Life's too short to not have a dobe by your side.

First off, I am so terribly sorry for your loss of your sweet DoberGirl. Many on this board have experienced loss and we're here for you, if you need.

Second, I am angry that an earlier poster insinuated that you "could've done more" and to "get a 2nd opinion". Frankly, that is cruel and not necessary. Please know that you LOVED your girl so much, and made the right decision based on what you knew. Honestly, there's nothing that any dog owner can to do assure any decision is the "best decision". We all are racked with guilt and confusion any time a life-altering decision has to be made regarding our dober-kids. It's because we LOVE them so much, and want them to be happy and loved for, and healthy. Please know you did what you thought was best and I hope you can ease your guilt a little bit.

When I had to let go of my Min Pin in April 2011, it was the hardest decision I have EVER had to make. But, she told me and my husband, in her own way, that it was time. She was losing weight, wasn't interested in food, and quite frankly, lost that spark in her eye. We loved her so much that we had to do one last act of love to peacefully send her over to The Bridge. I'll never forget that day - we had her remains cremated individually and now she is home with us.

Do I still cry over her loss? Absolutely. I probably cry at least once a week - it's a part of your heart that will never heal as it's forever linked to your fur-babies.

I guess what I'm trying to say is you're not alone and we're here for you anytime you need to talk, if that is what you feel you need. Celebrate her life, and know that you now have a guardian angel watching over you.

Thank you so much for your sweet words. Yeah, I saw that one post and I pretty much chose to ignore it. I'm so sorry to hear about your lost also. This is probably one of the worst times ever in my entire life. I had no idea that my feelings of loss would be so intense. Her remains came in today for me to pick up. I also had her separately cremated and they also took a paw print of her. I hope I can keep it together today after work when I go to pick her up. Each dog is just so special and I really believe they are angels here on earth. I can't wait to see her again some day. God bless and thanks again so much for your sweet words. They really do help.

Thank you so much for your sweet words. Yeah, I saw that one post and I pretty much chose to ignore it. I'm so sorry to hear about your lost also. This is probably one of the worst times ever in my entire life. I had no idea that my feelings of loss would be so intense. Her remains came in today for me to pick up. I also had her separately cremated and they also took a paw print of her. I hope I can keep it together today after work when I go to pick her up. Each dog is just so special and I really believe they are angels here on earth. I can't wait to see her again some day. God bless and thanks again so much for your sweet words. They really do help.

You are so welcome. Just be prepared for an influx of emotions when you pick up her cremains. It does get easier day by day, but as a wise person on this board once told me: "Don't let people say time heals all wounds - it doesn't. It takes actively grieving your loss in the way you only know how."

Not every dog gets a great owner like you and take solace that your sweet girl was loved until the very last second. And she will continue to feel your love on the Other Side.

Thank you. After picking up her remains, I had a good cry and then felt such a peace afterwards. It just feels good to have her back home again. It's weird to think her remains are in the urn even though she is with me in spirit, but she's home now. The urn is heavier than I thought but then again, she was a big girl This forum has been such a support to me this past week. Thank you!

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Thank you for your words of comfort. I was overwhelmed with such good people here and their condolences. Not sure if I responded back to you or not. You guys are great. Tomorrow will be two weeks, ugh... I have to say, this weekend has been rough.

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Thank you. After picking up her remains, I had a good cry and then felt such a peace afterwards. It just feels good to have her back home again. It's weird to think her remains are in the urn even though she is with me in spirit, but she's home now. The urn is heavier than I thought but then again, she was a big girl This forum has been such a support to me this past week. Thank you!

I know what you mean about the cremains....it felt very good to get them back home.

__________________ Zoopsie Daisy vom Dobereich
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Dillon:b.2/19/09 d.9/28/12 "The best walks in life are always the briefest"